Publications Related to the Use of Elevators During Fires

Collected Publications Related to the Use of Elevators During Fires (NIST SP 983, May 2000)In the wake of the September 11 attacks in the US provisions for emergency egress from tall buildings are being re-examined, worldwide. Possibilities being discussed include the utilization of protected elevators with stairways for both occupant egress and fire service access. These have been discussed over the years and have been the subject of research by a number of parties, including a cooperative program between NIST, the National Research Council of Canada, and the US elevator industry.

Human Behavior in the World Trade Center Evacuation. March, 1997An explosion below the World Trade Center plaza in New York City on February 26, 1993, killed six workers, and resulted in injuries to over 1,000 occupants as they made their way out of the affected buildings. The explosion and subsequent fire caused extensive structural damage on several basement levels, interfered with the operation of the fire protection and other emergency systems and resulted in the evacuation of tens of thousands of occupants of the complex....